EB-1ASports and athleticsIndividualDecided October 2020Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
OCT052020_08B2203
JudgingMetAwardsNot metOriginal contributionsNot metPublished materialNot metFinal meritsNot reached / not discussed
Our summary
An MMA fighter competing in amateur and professional competitions claimed four criteria: awards, published material, original contributions, and displayed achievements. The AAO dismissed the appeal, finding only one criterion met and concluding the record did not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim required for extraordinary ability.
Official PDF
Official PDF ↗Published by USCIS. The summary is ours, in our own words; the decision text is on uscis.gov.
What the AAO accepted
- Judging · Decision acknowledges evidence sufficient to meet lesser standard of criterion (i) for lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards.
What was missing
- Awards · Decision concludes petitioner did not receive a major internationally recognized award; competitions lacked required major international recognition.
- Original contributions · Decision concludes competitive rankings and victories are not intrinsically original contributions; petitioner failed to show how victories differed from other winners.
- Published material · Articles submitted did not appear in professional or major trade publications or major media as required by criterion (iii).
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Judging | Met | Decision acknowledges evidence sufficient to meet lesser standard of criterion (i) for lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards. |
 Awards | Not met | Decision concludes petitioner did not receive a major internationally recognized award; competitions lacked required major international recognition. |
 Original contributions | Not met | Decision concludes competitive rankings and victories are not intrinsically original contributions; petitioner failed to show how victories differed from other winners. |
 Published material | Not met | Articles submitted did not appear in professional or major trade publications or major media as required by criterion (iii). |
 Final merits | Not reached / not discussed | Decision states final merits determination not required because petitioner failed to meet threshold of three initial criteria. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.